Tangled Up In You Songfic
by LilyGhost
Summary: Ranger breaks into Stephanie's apartment and contemplates his relationship with her as she sleeps.


Based on the song "Tangled Up In You" by Staind. All characters belong to Janet Evanovich. Any mistakes are mine.

Tonight's takedown wasn't even close to being the worst Rangeman has had to do, but after an already long day having a fucking gangster wanna-be pull a knife on me was the last straw. In the minutes it took Tank to reach us, I had the FTA facedown with my knee pressed into his back. If it had been any other day I probably would have felt a little sorry for him, considering he was one step away from crying for his _mommy_, but I had zero sympathy tonight. I had a _nick_ on my shoulder from the blade of his knife. Needless to say, the skip had _more_. After one look at my face, Tank immediately took the guy from me. He loaded him into a waiting SUV, and was currently on his way to the police station.

In the end, as far as captures went, this one went well. None of my men were injured, no civilians were involved, and there were no guns drawn. So there was really no rational reason why I was, once again, sitting in the dark in what Steph had dubbed, _my chair_, watching her sleep. I just felt like I needed to see her tonight more than I needed to breathe.

Most woman would feel threatened having someone like me in their room while they were awake, never mind when they were sound asleep. But, after her initial surprise, Stephanie seemed to realize that I _needed_ to be here, to be close to her, for my own piece of mind. She calms me when nothing else will. I'm known for my patience and my iron control, but there are times, like tonight, when I'm in danger of losing both. So instead of going home, I broke into Steph's apartment and took my usual place in the club chair across from her bed, my eyes trained on her.

_You're my world_

_The shelter from the rain_

_You're the pills _

_That take away my pain_

_You're the light_

_That helps me find my way_

_You're the words_

_When I have nothing to say_

_And in this world_

_Where nothing else is true_

_Here I am_

_Still tangled up in you_

_I'm still tangled up in you_

_Still tangled up in you_

Steph turned over in her sleep and I could see, with no small amount of satisfaction, that she chose one of my T-shirts to wear to bed. I know that it's wrong, wanting her the way that I do. In my business it's dangerous for her and potentially deadly for me, since I'd trade my life for hers in a heartbeat, but I can't seem to stop myself. Anytime Steph enters the picture my restraint goes right out the window.

I couldn't even explain exactly what it was about Stephanie Plum that drew me to her. Yes, she's beautiful and has a body that could stop traffic, but there's more to her than that. Maybe it was the slight innocence to her that let's her see the best in the people around her, me included. Or maybe it was the fact that she understood, and accepted, my life and didn't try to change it. Though, through no fault of her own, she _has _changed it ... irrevocably. Maybe it's that she sees what's under my carefully crafted exterior to the man beneath it. Whatever_ it _is, I'm grateful for it. To think that if it wasn't for a favor I owed Connie, I would never have met her. Now that's the stuff that nightmares are made of. After knowing her, I didn't know how I'd lived without her all these years and stayed sane.

_You're the fire_

_That warms me when I'm cold_

_You're the hand_

_I have to hold as I grow old_

_You're the shore_

_When I am lost at sea_

_You're the only thing_

_That I like about me_

_And in this world _

_Where nothing else is true_

_Here I am_

_Still tangled up in you_

_I'm still tangled up in you_

A sigh escaped Steph when she found a more comfortable position and I couldn't resist touching her any longer. I stood, dropped my gun belt onto the seat of the chair I had been sitting in, and toed off my boots. I walked silently across the room and slid into the bed beside her. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her towards me, curling myself around her. I retucked the blanket around us both, before finally allowing myself to relax. This is what I had needed.

_How long has it been_

_Since this storyline began?_

_And I hope it never ends_

_And goes on like this forever_

_In this world_

_Where nothing else is true_

_Here I am_

_Still tangled up in you_

_Tangled up in you_

_I'm still tangled up in you_

_Still tangled up in you_

I felt the exact moment when she realized that she wasn't alone.

"Ranger?" She asked, her voice heavy with sleep.

I noticed that there was no alarm in her voice, only the soft sound of my name. Even while asleep she knew I was the one with her.

I pressed a kiss to her curls and whispered."Go back to sleep, Babe."

I heard her make another happy sounding sigh as she snuggled closer to me. I felt her breathing slow and knew she had fallen right back to sleep. Now that I had her in my arms where she belonged, I wasn't far behind.


End file.
